Home for the Holidays: How Montana’s Small Towns Celebrate the Christmas Season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year in Montana! As the snow starts to fall and the jingle bells start to ring, communities across Montana stage events full of holiday cheer to celebrate the season. From Christmas strolls to light parades, and visits from Santa Claus himself, there are plenty of ways to get in the Christmas spirit with a little bit of Montana magic. For those looking to join in on the small-town festivities, here are some of the must-see holiday celebrations around the state:

Augusta

Celebrate Christmas with the locals in Augusta this season, and pay a visit to the Christmas Rendezvous. This annual celebration features opportunities to grab handcrafted stocking stuffers from local makers, a visit from Santa Claus and horse-drawn hayrides down Main Street to take in the festive scenery.

Bigfork

Experience “Montana’s Christmas Village” in Bigfork. This small town buzzes with holiday energy starting the last weekend of November, when a crew of “elves” decks the halls and trims the trees down Electric Avenue on the annual decorating day. Their day of adorning the streets in festive decor culminates in a tree lighting to kick off the Christmas season. Don’t miss the town’s Holiday Parade of Lights, complete with a chance for little ones to meet Santa Claus.

Broadus

Stroll through downtown Broadus to celebrate the holiday season. See brightly decorated buildings on Main Street while sipping a cup of cocoa or enjoying some roasted chestnuts during the town’s Christmas Stroll, or hop on a hayride through town to really embrace the spirit of the season. Then, end the night with a parade of lights followed by a fireworks display to inspire some Christmas cheer.

Circle

Get into the Christmas spirit in Circle with the town’s annual Santa Day celebrations, including a light parade, a Christmas stroll through downtown and caroling to help ring in the holiday season.

Dillon

Dillon’s yuletide festivities begin with the Festival of Trees, a fundraiser for local organizations with silent and live auctions featuring decorated trees of all kinds. Then, grab your cocoa and make your way to Bannack Street to catch the annual Parade of Lights. After the parade, wander the streets during the Christmas Stroll and admire the decorated storefronts of businesses that keep their doors open after dark to help shoppers find the gifts on their lists.

Fort Benton

Experience holiday festivities in the “birthplace of Montana.” The Chouteau County Country Christmas celebration features all the small-town holiday spirit you can imagine, with a tree lighting and “Santa’s Mall,” a holiday market for kids to shop for their gifts.

Hamilton

Kick off the Christmas season in the Bitterroot Valley with Hamilton’s day of holiday festivities. Take a carriage ride through downtown, enjoy food and drinks from local vendors, take photos with Santa and more during this day filled with yuletide cheer. End the evening with a tree lighting ceremony to round out the celebration.

Hysham

Enjoy the small-town festivities at Holidays in Hysham. This annual event includes a holiday market offering treats and goods from local makers, a light parade, a lawn-decorating competition and a visit from Santa Claus.

Lewistown

Amble your way through downtown Lewistown to take in the festive lights and decor during the annual Christmas Stroll. The afternoon is full of holiday cheer and activities to help ring in the season, including an outdoor Holiday Bazaar, fun run, food trucks and a gingerbread-house-building contest. On select weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Charlie Russell Chew Choo becomes the North Pole Express, taking families on an adventure to see Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Livingston

Each year, Livingston’s Depot Park is decked out with more than 100,000 twinkling lights for the annual Light Up Livingston celebration. The event features themed activities and crafts, a candy cane hunt, hayrides and appearances from Elsa (of “Frozen” fame), Rudolph and Santa Claus.

Philipsburg

Ring in the holiday season in southwestern Montana with Philipsburg’s Yule Night celebration. This event is chock-full of Christmas cheer, with an indoor holiday market, the annual Parade of Lights, a downtown concert and a visit from Santa himself! A trip to Philipsburg isn’t complete without visiting the historic Sweet Palace, the one-stop shop for all of your favorite festive treats.

Red Lodge

Explore a festive Red Lodge during the town’s Christmas Stroll weekend. After shopping for gifts from local businesses downtown, join in a community lantern walk down Broadway Avenue to kick off the annual Blade Parade. This unique event features decorated snow plows shoveling their way down the road, with prizes awarded to the best-adorned vehicles. After, enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides and pay Santa a visit at the Elks Lodge.

Sidney

Join in Sidney’s multiday Magical Montana Christmas celebration. The week of events features a light parade, a Christmas bar crawl, Shop Small Saturday, a Polar Plunge and more, getting eastern Montanans into the holiday spirit while helping local businesses thrive.

For more information on holiday celebrations and winter activities across the state, check out visitmt.com.